Page 53 of The Grumpy Side of Paradise

“Yeah. Great content.” Zach opens his mouth like he’s going to say more, but then closes it and clears his throat. I know he feels me looking at him, but his eyes travel everywhere except in my direction. He’s hiding something from me again.

He passes by me and walks to the front entry, where he looks over the open space inside. He’s wearing slacks and a button-up, looking more like the real estate agent he should stick to being rather than a contractor. When he opens his mouth, he definitely sounds more like an agent ready to sell than a builder who has to deal with all the inevitable setbacks that come with construction.

“I’ve got Seb and Bear scheduled next week. Think you’ll be ready for them?” His back is turned, but I assume the question is for me.

“Does it look like we’re going to be ready by next week? We’ve still got the second floor to put up.” I shoot a nail into the two by four I’m putting in place.

Zach says something, but I don’t hear it over the sound of pressurized air and metal piercing wood. He speaks. I shoot another nail. Then another. And another. Every time he tries to talk, I’ve got a nail ready to go.

“Dude.” He turns around. “Can you stop for a minute?”

“Not if you want this done next week.” Nail. Nail. Nail.

Zach gives up and walks away. I put down the nail gun.

“That was tense,” Evie says. “I thought things were better between you two.”

“Better. Not fixed.” I watch my brother walk through the house. “He’s keeping something from me. I can tell.”

Even in his nice clothes, Zach’s able to navigate between the open framework without getting dirty. Nothing ever sticks to him.

“What do you mean, ‘keeping something from you’?” Evie stares at me, and I can’t tell who the worry on her face is for, me or Zach.

I shake my head. “It’s probably nothing. Just me not ready to trust him yet.” I walk the length of the wall I’m putting together, checking everything is okay.

“Seemed like you two were getting along after the shed hunt.” She’s close behind me, and I want to turn around, but I can’t face her.

“Maybe. I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him since then.”

“Because he doesn’t want to? Or you don’t want to?”

I turn around, ready to tell her as nicely as possible that it’s none of her business. But as soon as I see the concern in her face, I want it to be her business. I want someone to help me figure out how to stop being mad.

“I don’t know.” I take off my hard hat and rake my hand through my hair. “Maybe both.”

My brother used to be my best friend. If it were up to him, we would be again. So why can’t I let that happen?

“Look.” she steps closer, raising her chin to meet my gaze. “I don’t know everything that happened between you two, other than what you and Georgia have told me…”

“She took his side, didn’t she?” That’s always been my suspicion. She didn’t think Dakota and I should get married, either.

“Does there have to be a side? Neither one of you is all right or all wrong. There’s no way you both haven’t made mistakes.” Her voice prods my ego, coaxing it to let go of the anger that eats at me every day.

I look away. I know she’s right, but she also doesn’t have all the details. She doesn’t know everything about the situation. She said so herself.

“I don’t know Dakota,” Evie goes on when I don’t say anything. “I don’t know all the reasons you loved her—maybe you still do. I’m sure she’s a wonderful person, but she’s gone, and your brother is still here.” She cranes her neck to catch my eye. “Do you want to hold on to the relationship that’s probably not fixable, or fix the one that is?”

I run my fingers under my nose, which is threatening to leak. My eyeballs are making the same threat. Probably because of the wind. It’s picked up. That’s what’s making my eyeballs sting.

“Evie!” Zach calls from inside the house. “You got a minute?”

Evie looks from me to my brother. “Coming!” she calls before her eyes travel back to mine. “It’s something to consider at the very least, don’t you think?”

I dip my head. Words catch in my throat, and it’s not until she’s a few feet away that I’m able to mumble, “thanks.”

“Of course.” She smiles that smile I hated the first time I saw it. I can’t remember why. She pivots to walk toward Zach, but then turns back around. “For the record, I’m glad you didn’t marry Dakota. I hope you’ll feel that way too. Someday. Maybe soon?”

I watch her walk to my brother. Her words travel from my brain to my chest where they settle in and warm my whole body.

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